138 LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING — SECOND SERIES. 



ally, and with better ilisurimiiiation. With ii more correct appo'ciiitioii of the situation I think 

 an exhibitor is much more likely to so govern his conduct toward his exhibits and the judge 

 as not to put the judge in an equivocal position. Bxhiidtors who do this become more careful 

 on their own account as they learn that while they may, by attempting to act on the supposition 

 that a judge's decision may be influenced, put him in an equivocal position, their acts are 

 observed by other exhibitors, and these may feel doubtful about the judge in such eases, but 

 their attitude toward the ofTending exhibitor is one of unequivocal condemnation. 



An exhibitor who feels tempted — and perhaps especially tempted because he has imbibed 

 the notion that judges are crooked — to tamper with the judge, may be interested in knowing 

 that instances of judges being directly iiifluenced in the placing of awards are extremely rare. 

 Almost as rare are instances where a judge does not resent any palpable attempt to influence 

 his decision. The common cases of apparent bias or prejudice for or against an exhibitor 

 depend generally on the fact that the occasion takes the judge off his guard — that is, the 

 judge's errors are unintentional — unconscious. Probably if anyone had the same interest in 

 circulating stories of instances where the judge hud shown a judicial cold blooded disinter- 

 estedness in the exhibits of his friend it would be found that such instances were many times 

 more numerous than the others. 



The general disposition of oflicials at shows and exhibitions is to hold judges to a very high 

 standard of work, and in their dealings with those whose interests their decisions in any way 

 affect. At the same time a correct appreciation of the conditions under which their work h:is 

 to be done makes the veteran show official or exhibitor much more lenient in his judgment of a 

 poultry judge's occasional shortcomings, and he is not so ready to utterly condemn a judge for 

 things which while objectioiialde or deplorable do not seriously affect his efficiency or irretriev- 

 ably ruin his reputation with discriminating fanciers. 



